London to stand still for Queen Mother

More than a half a million mourners are expected to have filed passed the Queen Mother's coffin before today's funeral in Westminster Abbey.

Two thousand dignitaries, friends, family and foreign leaders, including the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, will attend the ceremony, which will take place at 8.30pm Sydney time.

Tens of thousands of mourners are expected to line the streets outside Westminster Abbey to hear the 50-minute service relayed by public address.

Mr Howard, who arrived in London yesterday, said the Queen Mother had been an inspiration to many Australians, especially during World War II.

"A lot of people from that generation regard this an opportunity to salute that particular time and that particular association, and that is one of the major reasons I thought it was appropriate to come." ");document.write("

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Several members of the public secured viewing spots in front of the abbey early on, with some diehard royalists arriving two days before the ceremony.

The funeral will bring to a close a remarkable period of public mourning for the 101-year-old Queen Mother, who died nine days ago.

Central London is expected to be brought to a standstill, and many high street stores will close for the morning.

The British Government has asked high school teachers to find ways for students to recognise the moment.

The Queen was to make a TV address last night thanking the British public for its tributes and praising her mother's life.

Designed with the Queen Mother's approval, today's service includes the hymns Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise, and Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, and the playing of the Last Post and the national anthem.

As the coffin is carried from the abbey, Bach's Prelude and Fugue in E flat will be played, and a half-muffled peal of bells from the abbey will sound out. The Queen Mother will then be piped into the hearse before setting off for Windsor Castle, where she will be interred beside her husband, King George VI.